Goodbye
by DevJeb4700
Summary: Everyone has to say goodbye at some point, whether it is to a friend, an object, or a home. AU; Slight OOC
1. Prologue: Kakashi

Hatake Kakashi was nothing if not an insightful man. His clear view of the world opened up a world of opportunities that he always took advantage of when he could, mainly because he could see these opportunities open up when others could not. Because of his insightful nature, he had been able to raise three kids without any of them having been his own, and he was able to focus on their strengths and encourage them much like a parent would.

And it was because of this insightful nature that he could read his favorite student's expression without her having to actually show it to him. Sakura Haruno, the Kunoichi he had tried to teach when she was a Genin, was miserable. She had always been the easy one of the trio. Easy to teach, easy to dismiss, and easy to read. Nothing much has changed since her Genin days, aside from the second point. He couldn't dismiss his favorite Kunoichi in the whole Shinobi world, the one who he had mentored and who in several ways mentored him.

"Here are your papers, Hokage-sama." Sakura, now his assistant, handed him a thick stack of papers. The cheerful smile on her face made him upset, because he knew she just wasn't as happy as she seemed. The glint in her eye held no real value, and that irked him.

A few weeks ago, he had stumbled in on her. Her facade had cracked, and she was crumbled against the wall, strangled and quiet sobs leaving her mouth as she tried not to let the tears in her eyes escape. Her face was puffy and red, and her pink locks were in tangles atop her head from where her fingers messed them around. He was lucky she didn't spot him, or used her sensory skills to detect him. Seeing her like this, Kakashi acknowledged he was an insightful man, and he knew exactly what she wanted.

She wanted to leave.

"Sakura, you know you can just call me Kakashi." He took the papers from her hands and smiled warmly at her, his eye creasing to show it in place of his lips. She chuckled softly, and assured her Hokage that she would remember next time.

When she walked out of his office, he wondered if she would ever give in to her desires and just leave. He enjoyed her company more than he enjoyed anyone else. She was an intelligent woman who had the strongest backbone she had ever seen in a woman. She didn't take second best when she could easily have the best, and she was one of the only Shinobi in the entire village who could rule with an iron fist, while also showing kindness and caring for everyone. He didn't want her to leave, but he wanted her to be happy.

Kakashi straightened his robes. Being the Sixth Hokage had no benefits when it came to the wardrobe. He hadn't been a stylish man before, always preferring baggy clothing over tight fitting ones, but this was too much. If any breeze were to enter the window on his far side, the outfit would sway uncontrollably, taking 'baggy' to the next level.

Sighing at the paperwork in front of him, he leaned back in his chair, returning to his thoughts. When had Sakura grown so sad? When did she decide she wanted to leave, follow the footsteps Tsunade-sama herself had stepped? It wasn't because of Sasuke, he was back, now. She rarely talked to him, anyway. Unless their lack of conversation was the problem? Kakashi shook his head, no, that surely was not the problem considering the Uchiha had tried to talk to her in the past, but she was the one who ignored the other.

Could it have been Naruto? No, surely not. His favorite fox ninja was Sakura's stepping stone, the one she could turn to at any time, the one who would always help her get passed waves of problems when the uncertainty got too high. So what was it?

His mind redirected to the blond ninja who was quickly taking after his father, and Kakashi's old sensei. Kakashi had to admit, his student had become quite the handsome young man. He had girls left and right who would gladly put up with his ramen-eating habits and his loud, scratchy voice. Even though he was nearing the age of thirty and had his life devoted to Team Naruto, of whom Kakashi had watched grow alongside his former student, Naruto was very popular with the opposite sex.

A pang of nostalgia hit the Hokage, and he nearly bowed over with the heartache and pain that came with it. When had he grown so old? When had his trio of small, young, and stupidly silly Genin grown so much? Team Naruto was almost entirely composed of Jounin. They didn't have the rank, but they had the skill for it. Naruto was tall, taller than Kakashi, now. Sakura was just shy of Kakashi's height, and Sasuke almost reached Naruto's height. Where had the years gone? Why had they fled from him when he just wanted to hold onto them and stay in place?

How long had it been since he was their teacher? Kakashi couldn't even remember off the top of his head. He had once been able to say with confidence that it had been one year, but how long ago had that been? Too long, Kakashi concluded.

Sasuke had his own little group of ANBU-to-be's, and Sakura would, too, if she would just pick up an application. Naruto took so much pride in his group of Chuunin, one might mistake them for his children basing off how close they were. Despite knowing this, no matter how hard he tried to, whenever he pictures his former students in his mind, the first thing to come up was the little kids they had once been. These images tugged at his heartstrings when they faded to reveal that these kids were now extremely capable adults. They hadn't needed him in a long time when it came to teaching, but sometimes he wished they still leaned on him for more than just mission briefings.

Maybe it was time to say goodbye to those thoughts in his head, the ones of three little adorable Genin staring up at him with admiration and wonder. He would never see them again. Genin still looked up at him with the same eyes Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura once had, but they weren't his Genin.

If he had the powers to turn back the clock that sat on his desk, he would keep turning it until he stopped at the day he met the trio of Genin he had come to care so much for. He would endure another few years with these Genin again and again if he had the choice. He enjoyed them now, but the world had lost its luster in their eyes, and they had seen too much compared to the silly little Genin they were.

A tap on his door halted his thoughts, and Kakashi quickly made it seem as though he hadn't just spent twenty two minutes slacking off in favor of nostalgic thoughts. "Come in," He called from his place at his desk. The door opened, and Sakura quietly stepped in, shutting the door gingerly behind her. He looked up from the stack of papers he had previously been pretending to look over, smiled, and waved, "Yo."

Although she had only just left a short while ago, she still bowed and addressed him in the formal way he had seen her do many times before. She rose, and slipped two scrolls from her pockets, things he wish his outfit had come with. "Would you like a coffee, Hokage-sama? Or perhaps some tea?" Sake was not an option for obvious reasons. One alcohol-loving Hokage had been enough for Sakura, and she would not tolerate another.

"What are you having, Sakura?" He asked. There were two scrolls with two beverage choices trapped inside, and unless she had more, he was not going to rob her of whatever she wanted. She walked over to her desk, which was near the wall to his right.

"Whatever you're not, Hokage-sama." Kakashi chuckled at that, and requested whatever she didn't want, which she returned with saying that she didn't want whatever he wanted. After that, he had settled for the tea, and she the coffee.

After she had performed the seals on the scrolls, and the beverages had been passed out, they sat in silence for awhile, his drink finishing before either of them talked again. Sakura was the one who broke the silence, and he was glad for that. "You haven't gotten any work done, have you?"

"No," He scratched his head in the light way he had done many times before when he felt as though he was agitating Sakura. He heard her groaned, and tried to suppress the smile on his lips, his voice resonating amusement. "Sakura, when do you think you will take a team of your own?" He didn't want to stop her from leaving if it made her happy. Elongating her stay was as selfish as keeping her in Konoha, but Kakashi had to try and bait her into putting off her inevitable leave, at least for a little while. Maybe if she connected enough to her team, like Naruto or Sasuke had, her inevitable leave would dissipate into dust, and it would be as avoidable as a kunai?

She hummed softly, replying with a gentle, "Never?"

"That's what I said to Hiruzen-sama," He nodded slowly, remembering how the late Hokage had made him take the three under his wing. Now, he was glad for that, but back then, he thought it to be an unjust punishment when he had done nothing wrong. "But then he forced me to take you three. Maybe I should do the same with you?"

She scoffed gently. "With all respect, Hokage-sama, but I have duties I must attend to. You cannot live without an assistant, and I am one of the only ones qualified." He cut in with the fact that being one of the only ones did not mean she was the only one. "Not to mention my role as top medic in the hospital. It is impertinent that I am available at all times in case something happens. It's fine to send me on missions, Hokage-sama, but if I were to turn my entire attention to a Genin Team, I would not be able to perform my duties as effeciently as possible."

He didn't humor these thoughts for much longer, his tone becoming serious. "As one of the top medics, the top medic, you admit that there are other medic nin's who can do your job. Perhaps not only one is needed, maybe it takes over ten of the best to match your skill, but the fact still stands: They can do it without you." Something lit up in her eyes, and a wry smile dripped onto her lips. He regretted his choice of words immediately.

"You're right, Hokage-sama. They can do it without me. Thank you. I am still not going to take a team of Genin, whether you force me to or not," He was used to this from his pink-headed assistant. It went her way, or it didn't go at all. "But I will acknowledge that the hospital does not rely on me entirely." She turned the subject against him even more so when she pointedly asked, "So, what were you doing? You weren't doing work, I know that."

"Oh, you know. Just how the sun sets and rises without anyone thinking of it until it has been years since it started." She looked at him, confused. It was a way of saying he was thinking about how time had passed, without directly saying it had passed. Warm silence and thoughtful expressions filled the room for several more hours, and he was glad that she was not shoving the paperwork down his throat by now.

* * *

Kakashi saw it in Naruto a week after he had asked Sakura about the Genin team arrangement. She had still denied him, but he might be able to trick himself into thinking she really was thinking about it. He couldn't trick himself into thinking Naruto wasn't sad, though.

The look that reflected off those bright eyes was not one he was familiar with. That emotion did not belong in the Kyuubi container's eyes, and yet, it lay dormant in them. In those eyes, he saw what he had heard in Sakura's cry. That longing, that heated desire for something you just couldn't have.

And Kakashi was going to confront Naruto about it, unlike his avoidance of Sakura's wanting.

"You want to leave." Kakashi stated blankly. His students were slipping from his hands like water racing through openly spread fingers. Naruto hardly looked shocked, they both knew he could read people as easily as he could read a book.

"Yeah," Naruto scratched the back of his head in a similar fashion to how Kakashi did whenever an angry Sakura confronted him. He was an honest boy, and in that fact, Kakashi settled. "I just don't want to say goodbye, you know? It'd be hard to say goodbye to Sakura and Sasuke, and especially my team." Kakashi's heart sunk. He wasn't an emotionless husk of a man, there was still something deep inside of him, and that thing was a heart. His heart went out to this boy as he thought of how Sakura might be gone before he would even breathe that word to anyone.

"Your team, they are almost Jounin, right?" Naruto nodded happily, his prideful smile evident on his face. His team was only ten years younger than him, and were reaching for their twenties. They both knew that the team Naruto had taught would make the promotion without much problems, thanks to their sensei. "When they are, I will grant your wish to leave, I'll even start getting the paperwork ready for you. You will be back, right?" This informal way of speaking was one he reserved for those he cared about, despite his position above them.

"Yeah, of course, Kakashi! I'll come back to steal the title of Hokage from you!" Kakashi sighed gently. The two were outside, and his breath came out in visible puffs and swirls in front of him. In his peripheral vision, he could see Naruto enjoying himself, making small clouds with his breath, sucking in more air, and doing it again. This boy was still very much a child, but Kakashi didn't mind.

His heart throbbed in his chest. Would Sakura come back, if she were to leave? And what of Sasuke? He and the boy were very distant, almost spitefully so, but he would miss him if he left, too. Would he leave, as well? The thoughts caused a stinging sense of regret inside of him, stirring up until he could focus no more on the walk Naruto and himself were taking part on, his thoughts demanding all of his attention.

He would have to see Sasuke soon, he would have to study him. Would he find the same light that he saw in the other's eyes? Would he abandon Konoha again, even with the promise of returning? Would Sakura come back if she ever left? He knew Naruto definitely would come back, there was no doubt about that, now. But would Konoha forever be void of two heads, one of pink and one of black? Would these Shinobi never walk these dirt roads again if they were given the option to leave? Or would they rush back, scrambling to rejoin the ranks of those they had grown up besides? Kakashi thought of how young they had seemed when he met them, that visage captured forever by a beloved picture.

Not a day went by that he didn't look at that picture on his desk, the one with his adorable little trio. Would he be able to live a day knowing that was purely in the past, and one, maybe two would never return again? Would he be able to go on looking at empty desks and Jounin-less teams, knowing who would be perfect there? Would he be able to take it if he found out one of his beloved former students needed him, but they were too far away for him to reach out a hand and help?

"Do you think Sakura-chan will be mad at me for leaving? I know my team will understand, and Sasuke-dobe will, too. But will she?" Kakashi turned from his thoughts in favor of looking at his favorite fox-containing student. If he could, he would tear out his heart and give it to Naruto as a condolence, but he couldn't.

"No, I don't think so." Kakashi looked up at the clouds that had been threatening to break from the weight of the snow inside of them for the last two to three days. As if he gave a signal, the snow could be seen coming down in gentle flurries, scattering across the village. The two continued to walk, both in deep thought. After awhile, the Sixth Hokage spoke again, "I think Sakura-chan will understand."

* * *

The grass crumpled beneath Kakashi. He wished he could have foregone the robes for something that wasn't so heavy and drafty, but Sakura would likely have his head on a stick if she found out he did something like that. The frozen grass continued to crunch, until he realized the sound was not like frozen grass at all. Looking down, he saw scorched earth that was beginning to freeze over. Odd, he knew there should have been grass where he was standing. His thoughts were interrupted, and replaced with an understanding, as he heard, "Kya!"

A feminine voice cried out in shock, an immaturely girly, but undeniably male at the same time, voice yipped in the cold air moments later. Kakashi heard his former student call out for his team to look beneath the beneath, and a smile crept onto his lips.

The students, each twenty years younger than their twenty nine year old sensei, shouted for their Sasuke-sensei to go easier on them. A deep chuckle was heard, before a cynical, "I thought you guys were complaining that it was cold? I just wanted to warm you up." The flames that had seared through and melted the snow around Kakashi was enough to attest to that, to a degree.

Sasuke came into view, running from his trio is much the same fashion Kakashi had done what seemed like decades ago. Sasuke was sporting baggy sweatpants and a short sleeved Jounin shirt. How, Kakashi didn't know. His feet thrummed against the ground with restricted speed, allowing the three younger Shinobi to get near him, but not close enough to touch him. The two girls howled in frustration as they tried to throw shuriken at their taunting sensei, while the boy ran in the back. Just as Kakashi concluded this boy was going to let the others get to Sasuke and then take over, he watched as the boy performed some seals, and the ground below Sasuke rose.

It was likely Sasuke had decided to teach them ninjutsu, but wouldn't he have expected that then? His predicting nature was easily dismissed as he tripped over upturned earth and stone. Kakashi watched as Sasuke gripped the ankles of the boy, bringing him down to join him on the cold ground.

"Aah! Sensei, the ground is cold!" Sasuke laughed loudly, and informed the boy that he knew.

Kakashi could not say he knew this man. He had taught him for a short time, but he did not actually know him. The man on the far side of the clearing was kind, he was determined, and he was loving. He was cruel, daunting, and was feared easily when others got on his bad side, but that did not outweigh his good side. He had changed from his moody Genin self, and he was a great deal stronger because of it. He was not as compassionate as some might think when they saw his smile, but when it came to his Genin, he was similar to Naruto in that he would show them sides no one knew the boy had.

The way the boy laughed and smiled with his team was enough proof for Kakashi. He didn't need to talk with the under-dressed male, he didn't needed to stare practically in his soul to determine where this boy was headed in life, and where he was going to go to get there. This boy was not leaving the village, he was not leaving his team.

Kakashi smiled. He could hold on to at least one face, it seemed. Turning on his heels, the aging Hokage continued on his way, stopping to check in on friends along the way around the village.

He knew now that it was time to say goodbye to the faces he thought he knew, and accept what they had grown into. And so, with this thought in mind, when he reached his office, he strode over to his desk, and in front of the curious Sakura, he whispered as his hand reached out to the picture on his desk, "Goodbye." The picture slipped face down on the desk. He made it his personal goal to replace it with another picture before any of his former students left, and then he would turn it back up. Much like a before-and-after, he decided. He did not look at Sakura as he whispered again, "Goodbye."


	2. Chapter 1: Sakura

Sakura plopped down onto her bed, the bare mattress sinking beneath her weight. Her gaze swept over the familiar sight of her room, what with the many boxes of clothing and items long forgotten. She couldn't distinguish what box had what, only that her stuff was in those boxes, but not for long. Her mouth twitched. It irked into an unfathomably sad smile, twisting until both corners of her lips were upturned.

During the night, she would make it her goal to drop these boxes off at donation tins. She had scratched, cut, and/or erased her name from every object she had, leaving out only things she would absolutely need. Sitting against her bed, beside her right calve, a large travel pack was motionless. In it, there was an assortment of clothing, dry foods, an assortment of weaponry a blanket, and room for whatever she happened to pick up along the way. Tying the straps of her pack together was a large pouch that had once held weapons, and now held dozens of salaries beneath its cloth.

The shadows that played against her skin reminded her of what Kakashi-sama had said to her, the confusing thing about sunsets and time. Maybe this is what he meant, she inquired. Maybe that odd word choice of his from all those months ago was simply his way of addressing change. It seemed like just a few sunsets ago she was a young girl on this bed, her life vibrantly piecing together in her head. That was a long time ago, but it didn't feel like the years it actually was.

A breath left her lips. She reached out for the only two items left out and not encased in a box or in her pack. They rested where her nightstand had just three weeks prior.

Picking up the pictures, the sad smile on her lips dropped into a despairing one. In her left hand was a picture from her Genin days. It had been so easy, then. Life was full of everything and anything, and there was nothing keeping her from being where she wanted to be, because she was already there. In her right hand was a more recent picture. Kakashi-sama had requested they remake the photo, he proposed it to be like a before-and-after photograph. It had been odd, the boys having to lean down around her, and her having to bow down a little, so they could recreate the position they were in in the first picture, save for Naruto's glare. That had been replaced with a warming smile.

She put them back where they had been before she had picked them up, and laid back on her bed, her legs dangling off of the piece of furniture. She heard a shuffling just outside of her window, and the familiar signal tipped her sensory skills and let her know who was there. "Pakkun," She said loud enough to be heard from outside. "Come in." She rolled on the bed towards the pug, who was now nudging her window open as he usually did. He looked around the room, clearly confused, but eventually turned his attention back to her. "What has Kakashi-sama told you to tell me, Pakkun?" She addressed the task immediately. Pakkun only showed up when that baka needed her help with some paperwork or Hokage-duties.

"He just wanted me to check up on you," His familiar voice made her smile. She always found joy in this little dog, no matter how cynical or sarcastic he seemed to sound. His voice was tainted with curiosity, however, and his eyes continuously darted around the room as if trying to take it all in, trying to find her despite the fact that she was right there. "He said you didn't come in for work today."

She giggled softly. "I had the day off," She murmured. She didn't typically use her days off, so Kakashi must have forgotten that there were days given to her when she didn't have to come in for work. That baka, she would miss him. Her gaze rested thoughtfully on the pictures beside her, lingering for more time than needed, before returning to the pug who was still looking around.

"You did?" He asked. Finally, he moved away from the window, settling at her feet. She smiled and patted his head, petting him gently. He moved against her hand for a quick second before pulling away. She studied his aging face. He had pups of his own, and they themselves were getting up in age like he was. She wasn't sure how he was, but she was glad he was still alive. "He didn't mention that."

He took her pants in between his jaws and tugged gently. "He's drowning in paperwork, isn't he?" Pakkun nodded, grunting around the fabric in agreement. She sighed and cast one last glance around her room. The donation tins would have to wait until she returned from whatever Kakashi had left to do, which was more than likely to be every paper he had been given since she left last night.

She got up, scooped Pakkun into her arms, and set off towards the Hokage Tower, much to the small dog's displeasure.

* * *

All around Sakura, there were warm, friendly, and familiar faces. Some chairs in the large table were empty, but that was expected this late in the Shinobi game.

Ino, who sat across from her, was grinning as though she had a dirty secret. It was likely true, she always was the best at betting games. Sakura blamed that seeing-into-your-mind trick Ino could use at a whim.

A hand slapped onto the table, cards scattering lightly. Choji reset them back to their original places, and said, "Four three's."

"Bull." Ino hissed. When asked how she knew, she replied with, "There are four three's in the deck, and I have two of them." It was reasonable, although most still thought she used her special jutsu. Choji's cards were revealed, Ino was right, and he took the entire deck, grumbling lightly. Sakura wasn't sure if that was his stomach, or actually him.

The round went down the line, shouting and accusations rumbling like a storm in the large space, until it was finally Sakura's turn. Just in case Ino was using that jutsu of hers, Sakura didn't look at her cards as she plucked them from her hand. Placing them face down onto the large pile, "Two king's."

"Bull!" Ino cried loudly, and Sakura grinned. She turned up her cards, and when the truth came out, the beloved blonde was forced to take the large deck into her dwindling stock of cards. A few cheers for Sakura rang out, as well as taunting and teasing words directed to Ino, but Sakura paid them no mind.

They would find out eventually that she had actually not put down two kings, and in Ino's haste, the girl had not found the genjutsu Sakura had placed over the table.

And so the round went down, and the game began to die with it. Some of those who were playing, Lee, TenTen, Choji, Shikamaru, and Sasuke, went off, tired of feeling cheated. There was still a decent group of people left, some people Sakura didn't recognize had joined in, and the game continued.

Sakura shifted uncomfortably in her maroon skirt, dimly lit by a lantern an odd twenty some feet away. The night shadowed over the game, making it much harder to read her own cards when accompanied by the hazy buzz emitting into her senses from the alcohol she had consumed earlier. Not only that, but Ino must have found out her little trick, because she was glaring Sakura down from across the table, so she would have to be careful about playing this next hand. The deck in the center of the table was huge, and she didn't exactly want it to become her huge deck.

"Three two's." Sakura placed her cards on the table. Those were her last three cards, and she stood up to leave. She was halted by Ino, in her drunken stupor, shouting as though Sakura and the others weren't just right there.

Ino's fist slammed down onto the cards, ruffling them. She grabbed the top three cards, her voice loud and boisterous, "Kai!" Sakura watched with a smug smirk as Ino pulled the three cards up, and the deck now entirely belonged to the blonde.

The heart inside of her, however, had a spasm and jerked uncontrollably. She was suddenly thankful for the dark gloom that helped mask the tears that pricked at her eyes. This was the last time she would ever be part of this game with her friends, the last time she would get to bid them farewell. She wished the others hadn't left, and she wished Naruto wasn't too drunk to even partake in this game. Just before taking to the rooftops to get home, she called over her shoulder, "Goodbye!" She didn't bother adding the usual 'I'll see you guys again next time!', she wouldn't. They didn't know that, but she did. Whether they knew it was false or not, she wasn't going to go around belittling others friendships with false hopes.

* * *

When she arrived at her home, she dug around in her pockets for her key. During her time spent in this apartment, she typically hid the spare in the plant she kept beside her house, but the plant wasn't there anymore. Whenever asked where it went, she told others that it died, but in truth, she had gotten rid of it. There was no use she could find for it if she brought it with her on her travels, and it would just wither and die anyway if she left it here with no one to tend to it.

She stepped inside of her empty home, not taking her shoes off as she shut the door. She didn't plan on being there very long, even if she was lightly buzzed. The air was slightly staler than usual, and smelled like the home hadn't been vacated in a long time. Her long skirt brushed against the floor as she slid it off, trading it for a pair of dark green shorts. She would likely regret the choice later, the chill in the air having given her goosebumps during the card game earlier, but at the moment, it was perfect for travel. She replaced the shorts that she had found in her pack with her Hitai-ate, making sure it rested carefully atop the framed photographs. When it was securely tucked beneath a shirt, but still visible, she left the room, leaving her supplies in her bedroom.

Sakura made her way around her house, entering every room and inspecting every corner. She was passed the point of return, now. She had given away almost all of her things, aside from a few sentimentally important and useful items. She had enough money in the pouch attached to her hip to buy all these things back, having reserved countless salaries and saving a ton of money before by only buying what she needed, but she didn't plan to buy them back. When she made it around to her kitchen, she made sure to unplug everything, from the refrigerator to the cable that connected her lighting to a source of electricity. She had done this earlier with the other rooms, the only difference was that she had to empty the ice cubes in her freezer from their trays as well. There was no more food in the cupboards or in the fridge, it had all been cleared out and used up in the weeks leading up to this one.

She felt the odd need to speak, to say goodbye to everything, to finalize her leaving this housing space by wishing it well with the next owner. It was an odd wish, but she humored it for lack of having anything better to do, as she would have to wait until the streets were empty save for a few stragglers. It was also much better than dwelling on her soon-to-be situation, or thinking about what she was leaving behind by taking her leave.

"I wonder what will happen when I leave?" She whispered loud enough for her to hear. Her fingers traced over the marks left in the table her landlady had given to her. "Will the fridge be taken away, or will others who live here want it? Will the cupboards be filled with pots and pans, or food that's not meant to be refrigerated? Goodies, maybe?"

Sakura made her way over to her living room. "I wonder if kids will race around these floors like there's lava covering them, and they'll burn if they linger too long. Or maybe there wont be kids, and only one person?" She slowly made her way to her bedroom, adding thoughts here and there. When she got in there, she reached down for the pack that rested against the wall and when she rose, she slung it over her shoulder. It thunked against her back with an audible tap.

She closed that door, and went over to her front door. Maybe there was still too many people out and they would wonder where she was headed, and maybe she would be forced to come back. She didn't know what the next few minutes had for her, but she did know she couldn't stay in this haunting apartment for much longer, the one where she had lived for years on her own. With one final wonder, she said to herself, "I wonder if-and hope- whoever lives here will make as many memories here as I did."

The door closed behind her, the keys left on the outside beneath the mat, where the landlady would look when Sakura didn't pay her rent, or when she found out Sakura had left.

* * *

A figure was appearing to be much more visible as she drew closer and closer to the gates. Kotetsu and Izumo were out patrolling the other side of the village, and she could sense that those who were supposed to be watching the gates had accidentally dozed off. She couldn't detect the figure's chakra despite the fact that he was less than a hundred feet away from her, which only meant one thing, it meant he could only be one person.

Once she drew near enough to be able to speak and have them heard, she opened her mouth, "Hokage-sama."

She had suspected for the longest time that on one of the only days she had broken down in a public area, he had been there to witness it. She felt the meaning beneath his words when he offered her a team of her own, like Naruto's or Sasuke's. He wanted her to stay.

"Hello, Sakura," Kakashi greeted her with a wave and an eye crease. She wandered even closer, cautiously and slowly, until she was near enough for her arm to brush his if she moved. He had gotten rid of his Hokage robes in favor of his old Jounin uniform. She scowled, but did not bring it up. "May I guess where you're off to this evening?"

From the corner of her eye, she saw the faint light of dawn approaching over the horizon, and so she corrected him. Although the rays were extremely faint and far off, it was maybe one or two in the morning, it was still no longer evening. He nodded to her, and she finally answered with, "You may guess, Hokage-sama."

"I'm not sure I really want to guess. I would rather you just tell me." She avoided his gaze for a long time, until she heard a rustling of papers. When she did look up from the suddenly intriguing ground, she found a small stack in front of her. When she took them in her hands, she saw that it was the forms for a Shinobi dismissal. She looked up at him, confused as to how he had known she would be leaving, when, and why, and he answered. "I've been able to detect your wanting to leave for awhile, Sakura. I knew it would be soon when Pakkun told me how empty your apartment was when he last visited you two weeks ago, and so I've been staking out here every night since, so as not to miss you."

So that's why he was always half asleep lately? She felt a guilty pang hit her, but quickly dismissed it. When his hand hit her shoulder lightly and stayed there, she could no longer look him in the eye. Her breath was shaky and heavy, her heart trembled at the thought of leaving this man. She would never admit to it outwardly, but she cared for him. He was her former sensei, and her Hokage. He had saved her countless times, and had helped her become the Kunoichi she was today. "I may not be coming back,"

"That's fine," He responded gently. Her heart hurt worse, now. How had she nearly forgotten to say goodbye to her former sensei? He may not have been one of her direct friends, but he was a friend nonetheless. "Do as you desire, Sakura. You've done your best, and we're all thankful for that. I'm sure you know you are forever welcome beyond these gates, and we wont track you down to drag you back."

The tears that threatened to spill earlier were now pouring down her cheeks. She didn't want to make this harmful moment last any longer than it had to, her heart was breaking in her chest.

She thought about the old Team Seven and who they were now. Kakashi-sensei was now Hokage, and watched over everyone in much the same fashion he had watched over the original trio. Sasuke had three little Genin, and she heard he was teaching them well and he had lost his ruthless edge around others. Naruto was a successful overseer of three new members of the elite, the little Genin he had been assigned years ago now mature and grown into fine Jounin. And then there was herself, then there was Sakura. She didn't venture down her own path for long.

She encased him in one last hug. This was an image that would be forever engraved in her mind when she thought of Konoha or the people beyond these gates, and she was glad. It would be like a photograph, and would be treasured like the ones in her pack. "Thank you," She whispered, but knew that it was the time to say goodbye.

She pulled away from him, and didn't waste the words that would provoke more tears than those that were dripping down her cheeks. And then, without a word from either of them, she set off like the Sannin before her, disappearing beyond the gates. Just before she dipped beyond the trees, she heard her Hokage call after her, "Don't forget to write!"

No, she thought, she wouldn't forget to write. Whether or not she sent what she wrote to them or not was just a variable, but she would write those letters. Her arm raised above her head, and she waved one last time, slipping into the camouflage the trees offered.


	3. Chapter 2: Naruto

It had been two years since Sakura left the village behind, two agonizingly long and emotionally painful years. In those two years, Naruto had watched his former Genin, now Jounin, take on missions without him, and had experienced one of them almost die on him. In those two years, Naruto had grown closer to Sasuke, and had even helped him train his Genin team on a few occasions. In those two years, Naruto had never taken a friend for granted, never dismissed a teammates farewell as though he would see them again. And in those two years, Naruto had experienced more heartache than he had in a long time. It had been easier when he was beneath the tutelage of his mentor, Jiraiya, at least then there was a certainty that his teammate would be back when he returned. It was much easier when he wasn't the one left behind.

The hope that Sakura-chan would one day return had slipped so far, the amount couldn't even be said to be dwindling in his mind for how little hope there was. In those two years, she hadn't written even once, and no one had spotted her. She could have been dead for what any Shinobi knew, and that thought was always boring into the Hokage-to-be's mind. He only stayed in the village so long, despite Kakashi-sama offering him his own leave of absence, to wait and see if his pink-headed teammate would one day return. He could have waited forever for her, but he knew he would be waiting for something that may never happen. And that realization was why he always sat in front of old photos of his teammate and let himself loose. He knew she was strong, and he knew she was capable of surviving on her own just as he and Sasuke were, but he still missed her.

Tears would cascade down his eyes like raindrops that shone like stars, his voice would tremble so much he was sure he wouldn't be able to tell if there was an earthquake, his body trembled so much, he was always certain that an earthquake was happening. His heart always shook and quaked every night at the loss of his teammate, both the potential and the actual. He could never lie to himself and say he was surprised at her leave, though. She had been unhappy in Konohagakure for quite some time.

"I'm tired of being pushed aside," She had said when they were younger. "I'm tired of being overlooked," She had whispered to him when they were just Genin. "I'm tired of not being able to use my full potential." She had forced out when they were young adults. "I'm tired of feeling like there's more out there to discover," She had finally said, years before leaving. Naruto would never know for sure if that was the reason she left, she didn't confide in him often enough for him to know of her troubles and doubts.

He hoped she was happy, wherever she was. Naruto wasn't, Kakashi-sama wasn't, Sasuke-kun acted like he was indifferent about the woman leaving but he had still lost a teammate, Sai even painted a tribute to Sakura every few months. They were all grieving in their own way, but one thing they shared, one thought that was connected between all of them when it came to Sakura, was the thought that she was happier wherever she was. She clearly wasn't happy in Konoha, if her action gave any hindsight to that. Naruto felt as though it would be easier for someone to just announce her death to the village. At least then he would no longer have the crumbling and heart wrenching feeling that came with not knowing.

A passive look smacked onto Naruto's face as he emerged from his thoughts. As much as he wanted to entertain them some more, he had been busy before diving into them.

His hand swept over a dusty frame, cleansing it of the grayish color it had before to reveal a gleaming gold paint. Naruto continued to dutifully wash away the tangible effects of time off of his photographs and frames. Beneath every layer of dust was a face had had forgotten was forever encased in such a way. There was Sai with his mouth hanging wide open as Naruto tackled him to the ground, Ino raising a threatening fist while also keeping a hand on her enlarged stomach, Kiba getting so drunk he was in mid-bark, his face becoming dog-like. So many faces were scattered around his night stand, and yet Naruto had nearly pushed them all to the back of his mind. The only photo that he had really taken care of was the old Genin photograph from long, long ago.

Naruto vaguely wondered if he would ever be able to permanently shake his mind from his former pink-haired teammate.

* * *

A deep rumble left Naruto's lips as he laughed heartily, his hand clapped tightly onto the Hokage's shoulder. Neither were really sure what was so funny, or even what Kakashi-sama had said, but Naruto didn't really care. He was too intoxicated to really be picky about jokes right now. His laughter quickly died down when his former sensei mentioned something, someone, he shouldn't have.

Kakashi-sama began to joke about his new assistant, he wasn't entirely new but Kakashi was forgetful of the boy's name in such a state as he was in. Although he had not said her name, Naruto knew he was comparing Sakura to the new assistant. "My old assistant would have never let me get this drunk, if drunk at all!" The Hokage's words slurred and his head toppled over his arm. Naruto watched with a mixture of nostalgia and pain as this Hokage mirrored the one before him. Although he could not see Kakashi's face, Naruto knew it was riddled with pain and suffering. Naruto knew it was the face of a Shinobi who had lost too much, and was still continuing to face loss. Kakashi's voice cracked and grew weaker, but the question prevailed over the sounds of other drunk patrons and enthusiastic Shinobi, and Naruto could still make out the words, "No, my old assistant would have never let this happen. I wonder when she'll come back. ..She'll come back, right?"

Naruto's hand didn't slide away from the Hokage's heated uniform, nor did he make a move to look him in the eye by requesting Kakashi look up at him. His own eyes were focused on the empty sake cup in front of him, guilt ridding at his insides. What would Sakura have done if she could see either of them now? What would she have said? Would she be so disappointed that they had fallen so far, or would she be touched that they all thought about her as often as they did? "She'll be back soon," Naruto assured the ailing Hokage. He knew that when she walked away, he wouldn't be the only one in pain, but now he realized that he wasn't the only one suffering unbearable amounts of pain, and he hoped to remember that when he grew to be sober. This man had mentored her, watched over her, protected her. Naruto could only imagine one of his former students leaving not only him, but the village, and his imagination could likely do the actual feeling no justice. "She'll be back soon," Naruto repeated, his eyes tracing over the cup. "And then we can be a team again."

* * *

Long nails scratched against tender skin for the nth time that day, and again Naruto felt the slap of a familiar hand on his own. "Baka," The voice had cried out to him as he tried to do it again. The infection that had crept over his wound was a mean one, and demanded he create more gashes into his skin to feed it. After trying a third time, only to have his hand once again slapped away from his own skin, a little harder this time, Naruto decided it was best to simply open his eyes so that he could stop the offending hand, his one, himself.

When he did open those oceans of blue, they met fields of green, and he smiled. He decided to indulge in this dream wholeheartedly. Sakura was leaning over him, her doctor's uniform a little rough around the collar. It was too long, it had been used in combat, and blood stains splatted along it wildly, but Naruto didn't care.

In this dream, however imperfect it seemed to be, Sakura had come back from wherever she was hiding, and had come to tend to him.  
Yes, he thought, he would give into this dream and just let it take over his senses. He would have been the first to admit his feelings for Sakura were no longer romantic, and strictly platonic by the end of their friendship and her stay in Konoha, but having someone he missed so much watch over him was not an unwelcome sight, even if he knew it was a dream.

* * *

A deep sadness resonated within Naruto, and he suspected he was feeling the same things and having the same thoughts that Sakura had before she left. He was sure there was more out there, more to discover and find, more jutsu's to learn that couldn't be taught in Konoha. With that thought having crossed his mind, Naruto decided that to be a great Hokage, you have to have a vast collection of jutsus, as well as an understanding for the way other countries teach.

Naruto felt vaguely plagued. Ever since Sakura had left, he often found himself trying to tie her into his daily life and into his thoughts as often as possible. He tried to find her reason for leaving, and based his own reason after what he concluded to be hers. He was sure he had never thought about the pink-haired female so much in his life, because this was absolutely ridiculous. It was completely out of character for him to think about a single person who wasn't related to him this much. But then, he felt, she was related to him. His team had become more like a family to him, so perhaps that could excuse why she crossed his mind so often? Why he had dreams of her returning to the village, her self-assigned mission fulfilled? Maybe that one reason could excuse it all, but it would never be enough, he knew. Since she left, his desire to leave the village had grown tenfold, and he wasn't sure if he could come back if he ever left.

Something much like shadowed wonder had begun to grow inside of Naruto, and he wasn't sure if he would ever get rid of it. It had been there when he got his first Genin team assignment, it had been there when his team had grown to be successful Chuunin going onto Jounin, and it was there now. Every time he thought of the world outside of Fire Country, it beat into his heart again.

How much could he learn if he was to leave this village? If only just for a little while? And how much could he learn if he were to leave for the rest of his life? How much could he discover if he was in other countries not to fight, but to learn? Although he was a thirty one year old man, Naruto readily admitted that he was not done learning, and in fact still had a lot of it to do.

"Naruto-sensei!" Someone called out to him. Looking up from the bowl of uneaten ramen he had been hovering over, Naruto caught the eye of his former student, who was now charging towards him from the other side of the shop.

He grinned wildly, paying the bill and getting up to leave. His learning could wait, he nodded to himself. The only time he was in a rush to leave was when his thoughts returned to Sakura, but in the company of his team, any one member or all three of them, those thoughts were pushed from his mind, at least for a little while.

* * *

The rain patted the soil gently, misting over it. The droplets that hit him did little more than ghost over his skin, the rain was simply that light. Naruto tried to see beyond the soaked curtain of hair that had fallen in front of his face, but found that he could not.

It was Naruto's thirty second birthday, and this was never how he planned to go about this day. He never planned to crouch at the Memorial Stone and search through fond memories of one of his students to make it seem alright, let alone all three of them. No matter how hard he tried, the details still overtook the good memories and forced him to focus on them.

The team sent off had been ambushed by a large quantity of rogue ninja's. They were returning from a skirmish at the edge of the Fire Country border, and their chakra was low when they had been attacked. His former students had put up a great fight, Naruto had heard from the two remaining team members who had survived. When the medic nin had been taken out, they had apparently stepped up to protect the rest of their team at any cost because together they had a larger chakra expanse at their disposal than the remainder of the group. The team leaders were still killed off, but one of the survivors recalled how one of Naruto's former students had told him that none of them would ever let the remaining die.

Naruto was proud of his former students, that word could never truly go into depth of what he felt for them. He just wish they had had enough chakra to not only protect their team, but to live. His trio, who had grown to be like a family to him over the years they had known one another, and this loss hit him harder than any death had hit him before. He could not turn to one of them to comfort either them or to go and receive the comfort he needed. In fact, he could never do that again.

He wasn't the only one who had faced the loss of a student because of this battle, however. The two remaining had been part of Team Kiba, along with the medical ninja who had perished with his students. Kiba was nowhere in sight, still grieving. The medic ninja had only just become a Chuunin, but one of the only ones available that hadn't already been assigned mission assignments for that fatal day. Naruto felt his heart lurch for the boy and his loss, wishing he could take the pain away, wishing he could take everyone's pain away.

A body appeared beside his, before lowering to his level. From the corner of his eye, Naruto could make out the masked profile of Kakashi-sama, his former sensei. He did not grunt a greeting, instead returning his gaze to the yellow mop of hair that was dripping with the water shed from the sky. His fingers reached out to trace the name in front of him, but halted when he found that it would have been disrespectful to his former team to go about them one at a time rather than all at once. He decided he would have to make two shadow clones whenever he visited the Memorial Stone, at the very least.

No words were exchanged between the two. No apologetic sentences or angered phrases, no remorseful murmurs, no nostalgic praises. Silence sat in between the two, and Naruto felt as though that was how it should have been.

Yes, he still had a lot to learn. Dealing with the loss of those closest to him was never an easy lesson to learn, and a harder one to refresh, but he would go on nonetheless. In this silence, Naruto found himself lost in the flow of old memories that ranged from team meetings, to helpful spars, to rank exams. None of these memories had faces of Team Kakashi, only Team Naruto.

* * *

Naruto blinked, the surface of the water proving to be too bright for his weary eyes. As much as he tried to squint and ignore it, the light reflecting off of the water bothered him, and his eyes often tried to close as the exposure. Besides him, Sasuke was having the same problem, but was much better at masking his winces and squints.

The water lapped at the shore below them, splashing and spraying whoever or whatever was close enough to be dampened by the cool droplets. Dark onyx eyes followed the line of blue ones, tracing over the water in wait. The sun had disappeared beneath a long line of clouds, the chill present even beneath their many clothing layers. Naruto felt a deep frustration boil inside of him, but he didn't allow it to bubble over. Instead, with glazed eyes, he asked, "When do you think Kakashi-sensei will show up?"

The boy to his right turned his head towards Naruto, but he ignored him. His eyes misted over briefly, before returning to their previous state, glazed over with boredom. Sasuke did not speak, and Naruto did not ask him to. Sasuke did not correct the honorific Naruto had selected for Kakashi, and Naruto was glad, he didn't think he could force himself to care, or even to fight about it.

Hours passed in this fashion. Naruto would say something regarding to their former sensei, Sasuke would stare at him as though wanting to stay silent and wanting to speak at the same time, and then he would turn away from him, and time would slip by them, silence between them. Occasionally they would hear others speaking, but when the two dipped into their fourth hour on the bridge, a distinct, "Yo." Reached their ears and was not as quickly dismissed as the other greetings.

"You're late!" Naruto accused, spinning on his heels to face the white-haired ninja who was casually making his way over to his former students. Sasuke did not turn from his position, paying no mind to the Hokage who was drawing nearer and nearer to their location.

"I wasn't aware I was supposed to come here." The two of them argued a bit, although it was more or less one-sided because Kakashi rarely did more than hum or nod in response. It took a few minutes, but when they were finished, they both took in the fact that Sasuke had left the two. When the realization that he was gone finally hit them, both leaned against the railing of the bridge, looking out over the edge. Naruto figured he would be with his team, now Chuunin and heading steadily for Jounin. He felt a brief sadness as his thoughts turned to his own team, who now rested beneath the earth, but quickly dismissed it. His team would never have wanted him to wallow in the sadness of their deaths, and so he did not allow himself to.

The water had stopped swaying, looking almost peaceful if it weren't for the constant motion it possessed. "You're not in your Hokage robes." Kakashi nodded as though the answer wasn't obvious. "You're wearing your Jounin uniform." Kakashi nodded absently again, his eyes looking off into the distance as though the sun would stop glinting into his eyes.

Silence did not still the atmosphere around them, for as quickly as Kakashi's head had stopped moving in the nodding motions, he asked, "When?"

Naruto knew what he wanted to know. When would he be leaving the village, following both Jiraiya and Sakura before him. Truthfully, he had never given a thought as to when, he simply believed it would just happen. A foolish thought, but a thought nonetheless. "Soon," He answered, his heart heavy at the thought of putting off this inevitable leave for very much longer. The only things he had stayed for had either perished, or just simply weren't events that were going to happen. His hair swayed in the breeze, knocking out his vision for a quick moment, and in that moment, he misses the deep sadness that passes over into Kakashi's visible eye.

Turning to his former sensei, Naruto wipes the frown off of his own face to take on a look of happiness and irritation. He asks Kakashi if he is too old to spar, to which he is then rewarded a low kick which sweeps him off of his feet.

* * *

Nightfall does not slide so easily over Konoha on this day, the day of his thirty third birthday. Then again, it never does in times of excitement, now does it? Naruto had been given the entire day to ponder this when he ran out of tasks to do, which was rather quickly, too fast for him, he felt.

And now, with the sun only just slipping over the horizon, Naruto was forced in the hollow room with just himself and his thoughts. The only furniture left was what had been given to him by his landlord, and so he sat, shifting uncomfortably on the scratchy bed, having no sheets to cushion his pants to stop the noise of the two, his bed and his pants, rubbing against each other. The noise annoyed him, and he decided it would just be better to dive into his thoughts to ignore the sound, and so he did.

He thought about the beautiful and enriched place that was Fire Country. He thought about vast fields, clearings, and forests. He thought about Konohagakure and the way the sun shone over the gates at dawn, quite the opposite of what was happening outside of his little world, now. He smiled when he thought about the way the village looked during certain seasons, and the weather that shifted in each and every season.

Naruto thought about those who dwell within Konoha. He thought about those who would go into the Academy or become Civilians in his absence. He thought about the Genin who are training to become Chuunin, the Chuunin training to become Jounin, and those who have the goal of ANBU. He thought of his friends, who he had given a formal farewell earlier in the day. He thought about the people he had never met, never will meet, and those who had forgotten him. He thought about the smiles the people had given him, the scornful faces directed towards him, and the juxtaposition between how they had acted when he was a child compared to how they acted now.

He thought about those who no longer walked the many paths of Konoha. He thought of familiar faces who had gone too soon, and he thought about those who had been lost in the waves of combat where the tides only brushed against him. He thought about those who had left his life in more ways than one, and those who he would see again, but not in the village. He thought about Sakura, who had left around four years ago, and he even entertained fond memories of his former Genin team who had grown so strong and formidable throughout the years, only to be taken from this world, though through an honorable defeat. He thought of those who had passed since the young Shinobi of Team Naruto, and those who would continue to leave Konoha or this world, or perhaps both, after he left.

With a touch of finality, he thought about Team Seven, Team Kakashi. Both the original and the later version of the group. He thought about how they had grown since the team was brought together and then disbanded. He thought of all the missions they went on, some not less than a decade ago. Naruto thought of all the smiles shared between the members in the group, and he thought about the laughs each of them had let out at some point. As a shadow passed through his window, shading over his face, signalling the time, he thought about how close to a family this team was to him, and he thought about how every family moves apart at some time.

With that last thought, Naruto stood and gathered his things, setting off into the distance towards the gates. The rocks scuttled beneath his sandals, scattering as his feet kicked them. When he finally came within view of the gates, he was surprised to find a decently large crowd there, despite it having been well passed the time mission groups were typically dismissed. As he neared, he realized all those in the crowd had something in common.

He knew all of them. There was not a single face he could find that wasn't one he knew well. Kakashi-sama was at the head of the group, his eyes on Naruto's form as the younger man walked closer and closer, until finally he was in front of the people who were waiting for something. Although he had said his goodbye to them, it was clear they were not satisfied until they gave theirs to him.

As though broken from a trance, they all snapped from their odd silence to envelop Naruto. His back was slapped so many times that it stung, and he was hugged so much that he was sure that even in the coldest night he would be able to still feel the lingering warmth. His Civilian shirt, which he had worn not so much for practicality but rather for the lack of identification it held over him, was nearly soaked through with wet and salty tears. He'd quickly tired of farewells, for in the last few minutes, he had heard so many of them, he was sure the amount outweighed all prior days combined when compared to this day. This went on until at last, there was only one person who hadn't given him any bid of farewell or granted him one with physical contact.

Kakashi-sama looked up at him. There was a grim look in that dark eye. Could it have been sadness, or regret for the papers he was suddenly shoving into Naruto's arms? He quickly grasped the forms and offered a smile to the Hokage, which was not immediately returned, but the eye crease made its way onto Kakashi's face eventually.

"Don't forget to write, Naruto." Kakashi turned serious, and Naruto assured him he wouldn't. After that, Kakashi asked when Naruto would be returning.

It was not a question Naruto had thought of much himself. He knew that he would know when to return. He didn't expect to click in a single bout of homesickness, but rather flash over him when he believed his learning to be done, and his travels to no longer hold whatever it was he was looking for in them. Naruto would not lie to Kakashi and give him the promise of a 'Soon' that the Hokage so desired, instead he clapped a hand over the Hokage's shoulder and smiled warmly. "Don't worry," He assured. "I'll come back to take the title of Hokage before you get too old, just you wait!"

With that, there were no more words exchanged between the two, just a simple understanding that hung over them like the dark gloom of night that was currently cast over them. The gates were opened, and Naruto stepped beyond them. There were still hushed farewells, and the occasional loving yell, but Naruto trudged on until he was at the treeline. When there, he turned, and gave one last wave to those who had gathered at the gates to say goodbye to him. He waved goodbye to the home he had always lived in, and the memories inside of it. He waved to Ichiraku, the owners waving back from beside Chouji. He waved a farewell to the friends he had made, and he gave one last sway of his arm at Kakashi-sama and Sasuke, who had materialized beside the aging Hokage while Naruto walked towards the trees.

With that last goodbye done, Naruto turned and jumped into the trees, setting off in any direction that called to him at the moment, which happened to be towards the border that lead towards Takigakure.


	4. Chapter 3: Sasuke

Sasuke had sensed them before he had heard them. Not that he could have heard them at this distance, anyway. But, after losing his sight completely a few years ago, he could only rely on his hearing and his sensory skills to detect motionless intruders. Racing towards the unfamiliar chakra signal, Sasuke darted passed several bystanders. He had memorized every chakra signal in the village, the Civilians included, and while the other ninja may have missed this one odd one, he didn't. He couldn't. The soggy dirt tugged at his sandals, the gentle drizzle caused his clothes to stick to him a little tighter, but still Sasuke trudged on. He continued to run towards the odd chakra until he ran into a wall. Or rather, a motionless Hokage.

"Move," Sasuke grumbled, attempting to push passed his Kage. The leader of the village remained where he was, blocking the entrance that would allow him to get closer to whoever this intruder was.

"How long has it been since Naruto left, Sasuke?" Kakashi suddenly asked. This did not deter the man, however, and he continued trying to move passed Kakashi, but to no avail.

"Eleven years, Hokage-sama." Sasuke finally grunted. Kakashi moved just enough to allow Sasuke through the doors, and just before he raced up the stairs, he heard the old man mutter about how it had been fourteen years since Sakura had left. Why was that significant, Sasuke asked himself. Shaking it from his mind, he focused solely on the intruder who was not supposed to be in Konoha. How had they gotten in? What was their mission? Why were they hanging out in an Apartment complex?

After a few minutes, and three dozen more questions, Sasuke stood in front of the door the intruder was just beyond. The door creaked open before he could slam through it.

"Sasuke-kun," A gentle feminine voice halted him. The intruder said no more, not because she was done talking, but because she was no longer the intruder he had deemed her to be at first.

"Sakura?" His voice nearly left him. The air in his lungs threatened to become one with the wind outside, and his legs suddenly could not old him. His hands instinctively reached out for the door frame, but instead sturdy, and oddly masculine, arms steadied him. Her muscles moved beneath him; When had she become so muscular? Was she not the same age as him? How did she have more muscles than himself?

"You never wrote." A voice sounded behind him. Sasuke began to curse himself; Had that been an actual intruder, he would have been screwed.

"Aha, sorry Kakashi-sama," Sakura shifted her weight noticeably, and he dipped momentarily in her hold. She righted him, getting him to the point where he could stand on his own. She didn't take her hands off of him, however. "I guess it kind of slipped my mind. Sorry."

He wanted to see her. He wished he wasn't blind, he wanted to see her. After a few heartbeats, he mumbled, mainly to himself, "You never said goodbye, Sakura."

Sasuke felt her gaze shift to him. Was she scrutinizing him? Judging him? "Oh, didn't I? No, I suppose I didn't. I think I only said goodbye to Kakashi-sama." His brows furrowed. He knew she hadn't said goodbye to him, but she hadn't even said it to Naruto? As if sensing her thoughts, she sighed, "Naruto has left, too, huh?"

"Yes," Both Kakashi and Sasuke said in unison. He turned his head to glare in the direction of the aged Hokage, before returning his gaze to where he assumed Sakura's was. "Three years after you,"

"I heard his entire team died." Her tone turned bleak and weary. He couldn't understand why, she had never really been close to the deceased trio. Before either could answer, he heard her kick the door open a little wider, "Would you two like to come in? I wasn't expecting visitors, but I haven't exactly been here long enough for it to be messy."

* * *

"Kakashi-sama, you've aged well. Sasuke-kun, you look like hell."

"That's what happens when you grow into your forties!" Sasuke retorted. It had been a long time, he thought, since she had ever said anything so rude to him. Had she ever said anything rude to him? She then made a remark about him being forty four, now, to which he replied, "So are you!"

Kakashi's deep chuckle sounded in the room. It sounded a little croaky, but it was Kakashi's laughter nonetheless. After a few minutes, the two engaged in conversation, leaving Sasuke to his thoughts.

What did she look like? Did she look young, aged, or as tired as she had when she left? What was she wearing? Had she been eating well? Was she a twig? Was she fat?

"Little Kimiko-chan is doing well, now. She's training to become a Chuunin in Rain Country." Kimiko-chan? Little? Did Sakura have a child? How much had he missed?

"That's good to hear!" Kakashi responded, quickly adding, "You haven't told us of little Kimiko-chan, though. You skipped over that detail."

As much as he wanted to pay attention to what was being said, and who this little Kimiko-chan was, he couldn't. Questions swirled around in his head, now circling around a question he never thought he'd have to ask himself.

Had Sakura moved on? She had always been his number one admirer. She had always been his. He supposed he had never really thought about her moving on, as much as he had told her to in the past.

"Kakashi-sama, what does Sakura look like, now? What is she wearing? Describe her for me." Sasuke suddenly ordered. He knew he had interrupted their conversation, but he had to get away from those thoughts.

Kakashi remained silent for a few moments, but then began, "Well, she looks as young and vibrant as she did when she was in her twenties." This caused Kakashi to ask if she had been using Tsunade's youth jutsu before continuing, which prompted a giggle from the aging female. "Her hair is still short, but not as raggedly cut as it had been before. It's cropped to her shoulders, and curls inwards, but only slightly." Sasuke nodded. "Her hair is still pink, but a lighter color, now. I don't know how to describe it. Like the end of a cherry blossom, but not as white as that, if that helps. Her seal is still there, her eyes are still green."

Kakashi continued to go on about her facial features, before moving on to her physical stature. She had been eating well, but she had also been training. She's thin for her age, but her arms are muscular. When Sasuke has a good idea of what she looks like in his head, he interrupts again, "What is Sakura wearing?"

Kakashi asks her to stand, and there's a light screeching sound when her chair scrapes against the wooden flooring. "Her shirt isn't low cut, revealing only to her collar bone. The sleeves go to her elbows, and the entire thing looks to be a sort of cottony-velvet material. I don't know, it looks soft. Her shirt is a light green color, like the grass in the spring, but not that intense. Her skirt, which goes to her knees and is more of a tight kind, as opposed to flow-y, is a dark color. Almost black, but you can tell it's kind of blue, too." Sasuke wanted to sarcastically thank Kakashi for his descriptive skills, but he held his tongue. "Her shoes are the closed sandals females often wear when they're not going to go on a mission. Flats, I think they're called. They're black. I don't think she's wearing socks."

All the while, Sakura did not speak. Kakashi asked her to turn around, and she did as he asked wordlessly.

"The shirt actually dips lower in the back. It folds over itself a couple times. I don't know how to describe it." Sasuke then asked for a description of her skin. He heard her shuffle around, most likely turning to face the two of them. "She's tan, but not too tan. She's strayed far from Suna, I can tell you that." She giggles softly, and he wonders if there is a smile on her lips. Sasuke cuts Kakashi off in the middle of his sentence to ask if she is. "Yes, Sakura is smiling. It's a light smile, but a happy one. It's not forced, nor is it fake. Her lips are a rosy color. The corners of her mouth are dipped skywards."

"Hn." Sasuke figured he had as good enough of a mental picture as he would get. She was beautiful. "Sakura, do you use Tsunade's youth jutsu?" He asked.

She began to speak again, her voice light and definitely more feminine than when they were younger. He could detect traces of happiness in her voice, and he was glad. She had sounded so solemn when they had last spoken, and it didn't suit her. If he could not see her happy, he would enjoy hearing it.

* * *

Kakashi and Sakura had remained in that apartment room, talking the day away, but Sasuke had left. Somehow he had attracted the attention of one Hinata Hyuuga, and she now walked silently beside him.

Hoping to scare her away from him so that he could be alone with his thoughts, he asked, "When do you think Naruto will come back?" He knew she was looking at him quizzically, and he reminded himself that she had no idea that he and Kakashi were no longer the only remaining members of Team Seven in Konoha.

"I'd like to think soon." She was no longer shy, and hadn't been for a long time. Her confidence suited her, Sasuke thought. "We'll be turning fifty in six years, and if he's not back by then, I'll drag him from wherever he's hiding, Sakura, too."

He scoffed gently, "You don't have to do that with Sakura. She's already here." He hadn't noticed Ino was behind them until he heard her shriek, Hinata's voice lighter than hers,

"What? Where?" Before he could get a word out, the two females were gone. How Ino had so much energy, despite their age eating away at them, he would never know. He stopped wondering, however. While mentioning Naruto hadn't gotten either of them to go away, they were still gone now.

And he was left to his thoughts, again.

* * *

Two years trickled by with him noticing every single day. The first year was tedious and annoying. Someone would come back from a mission, exclaim, scream, or just make a big fuss, and the next day it would be the same. But, then again, she had been gone for fourteen years.

The second year was better, but only slightly. Instead of screaming and yelling, hugs and different signs of affection, there had been questions. The most popular question was, "When is Naruto coming back?" With the second and third being, "Are you well enough to become the head of the hospital?" and "Why are you joining ANBU at this age?" And it was the third question that bothered him most.

Typically the head of the hospital would have the duty of taking care of Sasuke when he needed it, but Sakura could not take that job. She was never in Konoha, it was as though she had never come back. He wanted to catch up with her, hear her adventures, ones that he could never go on again.

Now, nearing their third year with Sakura again in the village, a fourth question had begun to pop up, "When will Kakashi-sama pass the title of Hokage to someone else?"

Sasuke was almost forty seven, which would make Kakashi sixty one, or at least almost sixty one. There was no doubt about it, now. Kakashi-sama was an old, old man, and while he wasn't the oldest Hokage thus far, he only has one eye that is of use to him, whereas the oldest had two. Had Naruto come back earlier, he would still be a good candidate, but even Sasuke would admit that someone nearing the age of fifty isn't suitable for the position of Hokage.

Most of the youth didn't even know who he was. How could a Hokage rule over people who didn't know him? People who he didn't know? Tales passed on from one generation to the next can't be enough to justify a stranger being promoted to a superior.

Like always, Sasuke was lost in crashing waves of his own thoughts.

* * *

A shrill scream echoed throughout the entire village, and Sasuke knew exactly who it had belonged to.

Hinata.

While she was no longer shy, she still didn't scream. She wasn't extremely loud in general. The noise that had emitted from her mouth would have caused Sasuke to perk up anyway, but he knew she was stationed at the gates, across Konohagakure. Whatever had caused her to scream must have been big.

Sasuke raced towards where the night gatekeepers watch was stationed. Kotetsu and Izumo had passed, so Shino and Hinata had taken up their jobs. Where was Shino? Sasuke couldn't detect the bug-users chakra anywhere. He could only sense Hinata's and one rather intense, fiery chakra.

He almost tumbled into a dozen other ninja that raced beyond him towards the sound. His hair whipped around in his face, and wouldn't stop, even after he had brushed it away. "Stop!" He ordered the younger Shinobi as they ran passed him. "It's not an intruder!"

Sure enough, when he had finally arrived at the scene, his knew that his words were correct.

"Who's that?" One Shinobi whispered. "I think that's Naruto-?" Another responded. Sasuke pushed passed all of them, ignoring the questioning protests and egotistical threats.

Hinata had gone silent, but the 'Intruder' had not. "Sasuke!" So Naruto had spotted him. The old man was as vibrantly annoying as ever, quickly repeating, "Sasuke! Hey! Over here! You're going the wrong way!" Sasuke shut him out of his mind, walking towards where he knew the shadows would be.

He knew this because he could sense Kakashi's chakra, and the fact that no one had noticed their Hokage yet was proof enough that he was hidden in the shadows.

Naruto seemed to understand. Probably because when Sasuke had gotten close enough, Kakashi had spoken up, "Naruto."

Immediately, the two were seized by an over enthusiastic Kyuubi container. "Let me go, dobe!" Sasuke got out, his lungs feeling like they were being crushed and stabbed by his rib cage. Even now, the trio of Team Seven having reached fifty, Naruto was strong. How had everyone in Team Seven, Kakashi included, stayed strong when he had not?

"Don't forget about me." The voice was almost inaudible compared to Naruto's loud laughter.

"Sakura-chan!" Naruto exclaimed. Sasuke would have grabbed his ears to cover them, had his arms not been trapped by Naruto's embrace.

He felt Sakura worm in between them, and she was likely immediately regretting it. Sasuke didn't care, however. And Naruto likely didn't either, and Kakashi would have spoken up if he had. Most likely everyone in the embrace, and some outside of it, too, were having the same thoughts.

Team Seven was reunited once more, and this time, the only goodbye would be when each reached their limit.


End file.
